Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com
Dedicated to Elevating ConsciousnessFri, 16 Feb 2018 21:17:12 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Conscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness. <br />
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Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more. <br />
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We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world.Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community MagazinecleanepisodicHealth, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazinespencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.comspencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.com (Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazine)Janae Jean and Spencer SchluterUnify and awaken the masses to their full potential through uplifting, timely, and inspiring communications.Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/dancing_people-New.jpghttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/category/conscious-community-magazine/health-healing-wellness/
scschluter@gmail.comConscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness.
Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more.
We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world. Monthly113618938Common Unity – Interview with Ian Simkinshttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 01:39:05 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=9021
Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter –

Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill. He has spoken across the United States and around the world, toured the United States with a harpist, taught at two universities, worked with several justice ministries, played drums on two albums, intentionally lived on the streets of Philadelphia for a week, and been a guest on numerous radio shows. Ian founded theBeauty In The Common project in 2015. It has grown from a small local group of friends to a web community of over 22,000 people.

The following article only contains a snippet of our conversation, listen to the podcast below to hear much more and subscribe on iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher, and/or YouTube. –J.J.

Pastor Ian Simkins

Janae: Let’s start by talking by about Beauty In The Common. How did you come up with the idea? What are the different parts?

Ian: For a couple of years, we were hosting these songwriter gatherings at my house… So we thought why don’t we utilize that space and create an opportunity for different creatives from around the area to share… spoken word, songs, fine art or poetry. We would come up with different themes for each night… I was really interested in this idea of the beauty of things that are so easily overlooked and our obsession with “mountain top” experiences. What happens in all that “valley” time that we live in 99 percent of the time? So I shared, “I’m interested in exploring the idea of Beauty in the Common.” One of my buddies at the table asked, “Did you just come up with that? Whose phrase is that?” I was like… “I think its mine.” Another buddy had his phone out, and he said, “The domain’s available; you should buy the website!” I was like, “Whoa… hold on… [laughs] I was just processing out loud this idea that I’ve been reading about a bit.”

That next week my alma mater, Judson University in Elgin, Ill., invited me to come out and speak for a weeklong series of chapels. They asked, “Do you have any themes? We’re open to themes this year.” I shared with them an expanded version of this Beauty in the Common idea…. To their credit, they were like, “We love it! We’d love to help support you in that. Let’s do it.” I proposed to them… “How about instead of me teaching for 30, 35 minutes, what if I just teach for ten and then have songwriters, poets, painters and dancers? Let’s create a different kind of experience.” At first, they were like, “No, we’d rather just have you teach.” But, the more we talked about it, the more open to the idea they became. What we did was… because it was five chapels… we framed it in a binary structure. Each day, I would tackle two sides of the same coin. So, the first day was beauty in community and beauty in solitude. Then the next day was beauty in chaos and beauty in stillness. I invited friends from the area that I knew to write original songs based on those themes. I assigned them each a different theme, and they created these incredible songs.

So, we had this five-day experience, and we had these ten songs. When we were done it was done in my mind. All of these artists were like, “So what’s next? What are we doing now?” That was kind of “it” for me. I didn’t really think past this. Jeremiah, one of the songwriters, actually ran a studio in Naperville, so we said, “Let’s capture these songs.” A bunch of the Judson students had been studying film, and they said, “We can film these songs too! We can create a whole collection of these things.” I was like, “Okay, sure.” So we booked a day at the studio, A Place In The Trees in Naperville with Jeremiah and Matt… That’s when we dreamt up this project called The Common Year.

So what The Common Year is like is the earliest church gatherings and what those times actually looked like. This one scholar was talking about the components that were present in every one of those gatherings: word, time, music, meal and prayer. And so, we developed a yearlong experience based on those five. At the beginning of each month, we release a song with a particular theme. Then each week we released a different narrative written by friends or family based on the structure of five. We had Catholic, Protestant and Agnostic writers on this project. A couple of years later, it’s become this really eclectic collection of thinkers, writers, artists and poets. It’s been really wild; it’s become a whole lot more than any of us ever thought it would be.

The Beauty In The Common Zine

JJ: What I really think is interesting is that it’s a return to the liturgical year, or even before the Church, the Wheel of the Year. It’s the idea that we see our lives as moving through time, and I think that is something that is really missing. You miss so much of the beauty in life when you don’t stop and say. “This is life. This is now. This is life happening right now.”

IS: Right. A lot of the idea for beauty specifically came from the Catholic Church actually. Historically, they have the transcendentals that were drawn a lot from Plato’s writings. These transcendentals… were truth, goodness and beauty…

Beauty has a way of drawing out of us or moving us in a way that simply arguing doctrinal or political views just simply can’t. That’s kind of the lifeblood of the whole thing, which is why we’ve been able to have different writers from different backgrounds. It’s not about furthering some brand; it’s not owned by some church or denomination. It’s all about what our lives would be like if we were actually intentional about being captivated, about finding wonder and awe, in the “everyday-ness” of our lives.

The thing about the word “common” is that it simply doesn’t mean ordinary. It means being centered; finding more common ground with the people we interact with; starting first with what unites us. What do we have that’s similar? What if we started there and offer people opportunities to actually experience wonder and awe in the “everyday-ness” of their lives? We’ve found that to be really, really powerful, more so than we thought it would be.

Spencer: I think that anyone who is expending effort to derail the effort to find common ground is really dangerous. I don’t think I’m overstating that; it’s a danger to humanity.

IS: That’s justifiably scary. One of the things Brené Brown says that I really appreciate is… “People are hard to hate up close; so lean in.” For me, I’m not naïve enough to think we just need to create a space for people to come, and they’ll heal. Some people just want to see the world burn… I’ve also seen people radically transformed when they experience the “no-strings-attached” type love of a community. They actually feel that they are known, seen and heard and that can change a life.

IS: What we have done for Lent … that people really resonate with is create a daily challenge to see or express a particular word that day. Sometimes that means sharing it on social media with #beautyinthecommon. Others don’t share any of it online, but they do with their family. We offer a daily focus – something to be mindful of that day. What we’ve found is a lot of mindfulness focuses solely on things that you would probably put in the category of positive, but I think that’s only half the story. Part of being fully alive and in the world isn’t that the highs are higher, but we also really, truly center into times of grief as well. We don’t do that very well as a culture… So if we can be mindful of that which is beautiful, kind or joyful in the world, but be mindful of sorrow, grief, sadness, or pain. So, we usually create some challenge for the season of Lent… It’s come a really cool part of the calendar.

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager and podcaster forConscious Community Magazine. She has an M.M. in computer music composition from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Music/Education from Judson University. Janae is actively researching using electronically generated sounds for healing. See janaejean.comandperennialmusicandarts.com for details about Janae’s upcoming classes, lesson information, workshops, shows and projects.

Spencer Schluter is the advertising account manager, social media manager and podcaster forConscious Community Magazine. His experience includes visual communications, advertising, social media, marketing, public relations and business development. Visityggstudios.com for more information about his freelance design and consulting work. He is also a master level Reiki and traditional Chinese Qigong practitioner.

]]>http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/feed/0Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter – Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill.Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter – Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill. He has spoken across the United States and around the world, toured the United States with a harpist, taught at two ...Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazineclean1:06:419021From Thailand to the US to Teach Meditationhttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/thailand_to_us/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/thailand_to_us/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 04:18:50 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=9047

Interview By Eva Orlowska –

The Meditation Center of Chicago is dedicated to spreading world peace through inner peace. They hold weekly meditation classes guided by Thai monks. They welcome all who are interested in meditating. Their mission is to teach mindfulness practices to live a happier life.

Today, I have the pleasure to talk with Pranee Ruangmalai, who has been living and working at the Meditation Center of Chicago for seven years.

Eva: Good morning Pranee, why did you move to the United States?Pranee: Good morning. I decided to come here because I wanted to share my meditation experience and Dharma to Westerners and also explore the western world. In Thailand, meditating comes from a Buddhist practice; and in America, it’s not very common.

Eva: What is Dharma?Pranee: The teachings of the Buddha – ultimate truth and the nature of reality.

Eva: Why did you choose Chicago?Pranee: I chose Chicago because of its diversity. It’s a big city with many opportunities. People are open to learning new things.

Eva:Did something fascinate you in Chicago, and in general, in the U.S.?Pranee: When I first arrived in Chicago, the landscape and location were glorious. I saw a wonderful aerial view before the airplane landed, this huge city line along the shore of Lake Michigan. For sure, the architecture of buildings in downtown, nowhere in the U.S. can beat.

Eva: Was there anything difficult for you when you came to America?Pranee: When I came here I was able to read, write and listen to English, but I had difficulty with speaking. It was hard for me three years ago when I had to guide people to meditate and run a meditation class. Luckily, I have local students and bilingual volunteers who were very helpful and supportive. They usually encouraged me in class. Then I realized that mental practice as meditation needed less speech, but more peace of mind for communication. Anyhow, in some situations, my smile helped me a lot.

Eva: Do all monks come from Thailand? Why did they move to Chicago?Pranee: Yes. [The] monks who came here are willing to be here, sharing meditation and dharma with people.

Eva:I read your rules of the meditation temple, and I was wondering about one section, why can’t you sing? Pranee: At least, we can sing Dharma songs. The purpose of the rules is to live harmoniously with the renunciation of sensuality. Also, our monks can’t have any relationship with women, so that’s why we don’t want to distract them.

Eva: How does a typical day for monks look like?Pranee: Five to six a.m. is meditation and chanting. Seven to eight-thirty a.m. is breakfast and chores . Eight-thirty to eleven a.m. is the maintenance of the monastery and religious services for the lay community. Eleven to twelve-thirty p.m. is lunch and chores. From one to five p.m., we study English and Dharma. Six to seven-thirty p.m. is chanting and meditation. After seven-thirty p.m. is personal time.

All monks adhere to the 227 precepts or monastic code of discipline; many of them concern his relations with others. Laymen and laywomen in the temple perform responsibilities quite similar to the monks, but they adhere to eight precepts instead of 227.

Eva: Eight precepts instead of 227, what do you mean by that?Pranee: [The] eight precepts are the rules for the lay people [such] as me.
I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that, which is not given.
I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity.
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs, which lead to carelessness.
I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., afternoon.)
I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.
I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.

Eva: Monks don’t go to typical jobs, where do they get money for food and pay bills?Pranee: Lay people offer food daily for the monastery, and all income comes from donations.

Eva: What is the most important characteristic of your center?Pranee: Our goal is to form a peaceful community through inner peace. Thus, our mission is to spread meditation to people of all cultures, backgrounds, ages and personalities. Our methods are simple, but it is important to explain it in a basic way that everyone can understand. So, we have Buddhist monks and experienced lay people to coach newbies.

Eva: Is there something that distinguishes your meditation center from others?Pranee: The Meditation Center of Chicago provides Buddhist services and Dharma practices for Buddhists and offers free meditation classes for Non-Buddhists. We also provide Summer Youth Camps to promote mindfulness practice in a fun way for youth to boost their attention skills and cultivate self-discipline. Our specialty is providing a calm and peaceful space that is conducive to practicing meditation. We cultivate a community that shares generosity and kindness towards one another, which encourages us to strengthen the consistency of our practice week by week.

Eva: Tell me something about your family.Pranee: During childhood, I had lived with my parents and three siblings in [a] small town, Phichit, in [the] north of Thailand. Now, all of them still live in Thailand.

Eva: Did you start to do meditation because of your family?Pranee: Yes, Thailand is a Buddhist country. Meditation is the main practice of Buddhists. Even though not all Buddhists meditate, our family does. We go to the temple every week since I was young until now.

Eva: What does your family think about the U.S.?Pranee: They think [that] America is a big and powerful country in the world. At the beginning, they didn’t want me to stay here longer than one year. My mother said [that] only one year was enough to explore [the] western world and get [a] different life experience.

Eva: Does something exist in the U.S. that you like, but does not exist in Thailand?Pranee: Spring and Fall come with perfect weather that I like, but [they] don’t have [that] in my country. Thailand has three divisions of [the] year, hot, very hot and hottest. One thing I want to happen in Thailand is democracy and elections. It has always existed in the U.S. since the Revolution, but we don’t have [that] in Thailand now.

Eva: What do you miss about your country?Pranee: Smiling faces of my Thai relatives and my master…

Eva: What do you like the most about your culture?Pranee: Thai cultures are shaped by Buddhist principles; thus, people are quite friendly and kind. We are called [the] “land of a thousand smiles.” Thais are respectful, self-controlled and humble.

Each new year we are given an opportunity to refresh and renew our outlook on life and the way that we will approach the experiences and events that meet us along the path. Preparing your body to shift, change and harmonize with these challenges of body, mind and spirit requires cleansing.

The Three Aspects of Cleansing

BodyTreat your body as a temple. You have it briefly; it is your vessel (vehicle) for transformation and growth while you are here in physical form.

Hydration – Pure water throughout day aids in the proper distribution of nutrients through the body, giving you needed energy, cleansing and vitality.Nutrition – Proper nutrition includes organic and non-GMO vegetables, fruits in moderation, protein in balance with your personal needs. Foods and herbs you may want to consider that support cleansing the body include parsley, dandelion root and milk thistle for the liver; osha root and licorice root for the lungs; and celery, cranberries and mushrooms for the kidneys.Essential oils – Geranium oil may contain cleansing properties when applied topically to the feet alone or with other essential oils, such as oregano, thyme, cinnamon bark, lemongrass, clove, peppermint or lavender.

MindWhen you let go of the baggage of thoughts, beliefs and ideas that have accumulated during the previous year, you are able to see and release from beyond that.

Awareness – Notice what arises in your mind throughout the day, connect with a community and a teacher or guide that you are drawn to, to help you along the way.Patience – Habitual thinking creates reactivity to circumstances. Notice thoughts and relax into seeing how they arise and allow your intuition and awareness to guide you to a natural shift in perspective to release.Compassion – Accept all that arises with loving-kindness toward yourself and others.

SpiritAwaken to and nurture the aliveness of our Being.

Nature – Connect with the earth and nature regularly.Presence – Allow each moment to present itself.Play – Shift into a state of joy and play by experiencing the world through your childlike nature. What would you do differently knowing you are just visiting here briefly to experience, learn, sense, enjoy and fully live?

The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult with your doctor before use.

Jen Heine offers free essential oil classes in Palatine. She has a background in nutrition and public health with a focus on natural, holistic self-care and practices for spiritual awakening, www.evolvingstarspirit.com.

Congratulations to our contest winner, Shawna McKinzie Tiffin! She will receive a copy of How Not To Die Cookbook, co-written by January podcast guest, Dr. Michael Greger. She not only shared her photo of a whole-foods plant-based meal like Dr. Greger advocates. But, also her thoughts about the importance of nutrition from her perspective as a medical professional. Thank you to all of you who submitted. We love seeing how you, the Conscious Community, is committed to creating better lives for all of us, as well as a better future for the world. – Janae Jean, Editor

Plant-Based Living, Shawna McKinzie Tiffin

The Feeding the Whole Self interview with Dr. Greger struck a chord in me. I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly fifteen years and a registered nurse for almost ten years, and my husband and I are raising our daughters on vegetarian diets. Although we do utilize dairy and eggs in our meals at times, many of our cookbooks are actually vegan. This results in largely plant-based menus for our family dinners. As Dr. Greger mentioned, I too believe that our diets influence our overall health. As a healthcare professional, I have seen the impact poor dietary choices have on my patients in developing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, hypertension, even some forms of cancer. Rather than prescribing a pill to treat an existing disease, the focus of healthcare should be preventing the diseases in the first place.

Plant foods are so full of antioxidants, rich in fiber and full of micronutrients on which our bodies thrive. A diet made up of more plant foods than not can only benefit the body. Dr. Greger also mentioned turmeric as a spice that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Garlic has been shown to be anti-microbial as well as a potent anti-inflammatory food. Ginger is an effective nausea fighter. This shows that foods, especially plant foods, can be healing as well as help prevent illness.

The dinner we had the other night incorporated many of the elements Dr. Greger described. In fact, this entirely plant-based recipe was so delicious that it triggered a state of “yum” within me that is usually reserved for much less virtuous foods, like tiramisu. It was simple to prepare, mostly utilized ingredients I had on hand and tasted decadent. Taken from Chloe’s Italian Kitchen, the dish included roasted tomatoes and broccolini, along with tri-color lentils prepared with curry (yellow from the turmeric within). The curried lentils were cooked with onion, garlic, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and fresh rosemary while the tomatoes roasted over an hour, simply prepared with olive oil, salt and fresh thyme. The last element of the dish, the broccolini was blanched in hot water, dunked in ice water, then sautéed for a few minutes in olive oil with garlic and a pinch of nutmeg just as the tomatoes and lentils were finishing up. The smoky, sweet tomatoes perfectly complemented the rich, “garlicky” just-tender broccolini and the savory lentils. In fact, when I make this meal again (and I am 100% certain I will), I will double the number of tomatoes I prepare because they were so amazing. I would challenge anyone to taste that dish and tell me plant food is boring or unappetizing. The best part of cooking plant-based meals like this is knowing that these foods are nourishing my family and helping us be healthier without sacrificing flavor or enjoyment of the dish.

Cooking With Himalayan Sea Salt and Lemon Zest

Cooking together is a fun and affordable way to build intimacy. When we cook together, we explore each other’s tastes, we reveal quirks in our personality, and we spend quality time mindfully being together. Julia Child said, “I think careful cooking is love, don’t you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who’s close to you is about as nice a valentine as you can give.”

For Valentine’s Day, I innovated two simple, but flavorful recipes that anyone can cook with someone they love. These recipes are both plant-based and gluten-free. Though not much is in season in winter, we can still include a variety of fruits and vegetables in our meals.

Maintaining good nutrition year-round includes being mindful of the tiniest ingredients in our recipes. Himalayan sea salt and lemon zest may seem to make minuscule contributions to these recipes, but small ingredients make big nutritional impact. Himalayan sea salt contains 84 minerals and trace elements, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and copper. Lemon zest contains five to ten times more vitamins than its juice. Both of these ingredients balance the body’s pH, a healthy acid-to-alkaline ratio is important for your body’s overall health.

Chop all vegetables and toss them in two tablespoons of olive oil. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in fry pan on medium high and toss in garlic and onion. Then add frozen broccoli, zucchini, mini sweet peppers, and baby portabella mushrooms. Once all vegetables are soft, turn heat to low and toss vegetables with yogurt, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese (or toasted slivered almonds) and pasta. Sprinkle with basil. Place in serving bowl. Garnish with tomato wedges.

As always, I invite and encourage you to share your variations, pictures and tips with all of us through our Facebook group “Conscious Community” or our Facebook page. Tweet us @Tweetccmagazine or tag us on Instagram @ConsciousCommunityMagazine. From my HEARTh & HOME to yours, keep making kitchen magic!

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager and podcast co-host for Conscious Community Magazine. She enjoys improvising in the kitchen and creating recipes with her loved ones and is very grateful for their input and assistance. To learn more about health, music, art and more www.janaejean.com and www.perennialmusicandarts.com.

Invisible things tend to confound us until we get used to them. For example, when your cell phone rings, and it’s your sister, you don’t question the fact that you can hear her voice and hold a live conversation – even though you’re in Chicago and she’s in San Diego. Or, when you get home at night and turn on the TV, Jimmy Fallon suddenly appears to make you laugh, even though he’s 800 miles away in New York. We take these invisible processes that connect people over long distances for granted, but because it’s still a relatively new concept to Western culture, distant healing remains a puzzle to many.

The good news is that quantum physics and new research are helping us understand more about both the results and the mechanics of instantaneous connectedness. First, the results It may surprise you to learn that you have been probably been doing some distant healing yourself – if you ever send good thoughts or prayers to others.

Prayer as a form of distant healing indeed works and gets physical results, according to research. One of the first studies, conducted in 1998 at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, was done with AIDS patients and showed those who received prayer survived in greater numbers, became ill less often, and recovered faster than those who were not prayed for. More recently, a study at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, looked at patients who underwent cardiac procedures, such as angioplasty and catheterization. Patients who received prayers had up to 100% fewer complications than those who did not.

When it comes to distant healing with energy therapies like Reiki, there’s abundant proof of its effectiveness as well. Daniel J.Benor, M.D., is a pioneer in this research field and published a collection of 61 studies, all of which showed measurable results.

“Distance, even thousands of miles, does not appear to limit the effects of healing. Significant effects of distant healing are demonstrated by randomized controlled trials in humans, animals, plants, bacteria, yeasts, cells in the laboratory, and DNA. Fascinating new insights about energy medicine and integrative care are suggested by these studies,” Dr. Benor concludes.

In fact, one study has shown distant healing to have even greater effectiveness than hands-on therapies. Adna Goldman Shore, Ph.D. did a study on patients suffering from depression and stress. They were randomized into three groups and received a hands-on Reiki treatment, a distant Reiki treatment, or a mock treatment done by someone with no Reiki training. As expected, the Reiki-treated group responded much better than the mock Reiki group, but distant Reiki won the prize. It resulted in the greatest reduction of depressive and stress symptoms, and patients continued to see improvement the following year.

So, we are very sure that that distant healing works, but how? We could say that distant healing is – literally – one of the most natural things in the universe, and here’s why. Renowned physicist Albert Einstein got the first clue when he observed that one quantum particle can affect another simultaneously, even though they are separated by great distances in space. He called this “spooky action at a distance,” and not much later a new generation of quantum physicists sprung up to explain what was going on.

Their greatest discovery: Everything is connected, the basic principle underlying quantum physics. We now understand that there is an essential interconnectedness and interrelationship between all things. Consciousness, time and space, every drop of water, every human being and every animal, every plant and every planet are all part of a dynamic universal web of interrelatedness. Action at a distance is not so “spooky” when we understand that everything is connected. So when one of Einstein’s particles scoots in a certain direction, it is logical for another particle to follow the dance step, attached to each other by invisible threads of interconnection.

How does distant healing get to the right person? We are all automatically interconnected, but it is the GPS system of human consciousness that determines the specific connection between sender and receiver. Hawaiian shaman Serge Kahili King offers a wonderfully poetic description of this. “Aka is a Hawaiian word that refer to the idea of a nonphysical web of threads connecting everything in the universe… We can say that the connections of the web always exist, but specific threads are only activated by conscious attention.”

This is where science finally meets spirituality, because many spiritual traditions have long recognized what quantum physics started discovering and acknowledging in the 1930s. For example, he Buddhist scholar Thich Nhat Hanh says an underlying Buddhist premise is “One Is All, All Is One.” In the Native American Sioux tradition, interdependence is at the center of all things, and Abraham in the Christian Bible defines God as the Unity underlying the entire natural world.

Perhaps since humans appeared on earth, we’ve had an intuitive understanding of our interconnection, and tried to express it spiritual terms. We have quantum physics now to help us explain the cosmic connection scientifically. But for a very long time, we have inherently known that sending good thoughts, prayers or Reiki to someone we care about will help them – and abundant research now proves we have been right all along.

Our first podcast guest of 2018 is Michael Greger, M.D. Dr. Greger is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling How Not To Die as well as the recently released companion book How Not To Die Cookbook. He is also the founder of the not-for-profit NutritionFacts.org, which is dedicated to sharing the latest nutrition research in an easy to digest manner.

The research Dr. Greger cites in How Not To Die and How Not To Die Cookbook supports a “whole-foods, plant-based diet.” This type of diet has been shown to prevent many diseases including the leading causes of death. The recipes in this month’s HEARTh & HOME are both examples of whole-foods, plant-based dishes.

Below are only a few of the questions from our brief, but informative, 30-minute conversation with Dr. Greger. Listen to the audio podcast via our website at the bottom of the page, or on Stitcher, iTunes, GooglePlay, Facebook, or YouTube to hear more of Dr. Greger’s research-backed approach to diet and wellness. – J.J.

Janae: Would you explain to us the medical establishment’s current model versus what you are presenting in your books, which is a plant-based diet? Why does the medical community not recognize diet as preventative medicine?

Michael Greger, M.D.

Dr. Michael Greger: The best available balance of evidence suggests the healthiest diet is one that minimizes intake of meat, eggs, dairy and processed junk and maximizes the intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes (which are beans, peas, split peas and lentils,) whole grains, nuts and seeds, mushrooms, and herbs and spices. Basically, real food that grows out of the ground; these are our healthiest choices. Unfortunately, doctors have a severe nutrition deficiency in education. Most doctors are just never taught about the impact health and nutrition can have on a course of illness. So they graduate without this powerful tool in their medical toolbox. Now there are institutional barriers too, such as time constraints, lack of reimbursement. In general, doctors simply aren’t paid for telling people how to take better care of themselves. Of course, drug companies also play a role influencing medical education and practice. You can ask your doctor the last time they were taken out for dinner by “Big Broccoli,” it’s probably been a while.

Spencer: One of the things that I thought of when I was researching this was that the average American is very sedentary and eats a terrible diet. We are eating a highly processed descendant of the traditional American subsistence farmer’s diet. I see the utility of eating a more plant-based diet for the average American who doesn’t work like they used to, but there are Americans who do. What do you suggest for somebody who works construction and they’re working six days per week, 12 hours per day doing extremely grueling physical labor? What would you suggest for people who are not sedentary, who lead very physically intense lifestyles?

MG: You absolutely can get as many calories as you want on a whole-foods, plant-based diet. There are calorically dense plant foods, such as nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, dried fruits, trail mix, smoothies … you can pack so many calories in smoothies.

JJ: One thing that I thought was really interesting in the book was when you talked about spices, like turmeric and ginger, and the benefits of those. Would you like to tell us a little bit more about that?

MG: Yeah, so that’s actually one of my ”Daily Dozen.” My “Daily Dozen” recommendations are the all the things that I encourage people to fit into their daily routine. So, on the exercise front, it’s 90 minutes of exercise per day seven days per week. Another one of the “Daily Dozen” is a quarter teaspoon of turmeric, the yellow spice that makes curry powder yellow. There are over 50 clinical trials that have tested turmeric against a variety of diseases: lung disease, brain disease, a variety of cancers. It has been shown to make colon polyps disappear, speed recovery after surgery and effectively treat rheumatoid arthritis better than the leading drug. Also, it appears to be effective in treating osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions, such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease. I recommend a quarter teaspoon per day as one of my “Daily Dozen” recommendations.

JJ: We hear a lot about matcha these days. Are the benefits of matcha as great as they seem?

MG: Matcha is even better than green tea because when you make green tea you take the leaves and you dump them in the trash. So you only get the few water-soluble nutrients that come leeching out of the tea. Basically, it’s like boiling some collard greens and throwing away the greens and drinking the water. That’s crazy! So matcha allows you to actually eat the leaves themselves. You get all the nutrition from the tea leaves. You can also throw tea leaves into a smoothie if you have a powerful enough blender. The issue is that you have to make sure that the matcha is sourced from Japan, not from China because only recently did China get rid of leaded gasoline. So if you measure the leaded concentrations in the tea plantations in China, particularly next to the highways, the lead concentration in Chinese tea leaves is too high. Not a problem if you brew tea because the lead stays in the leaves and you throw it out with the bag. If you’re actually eating the tea in a smoothie or matcha, then you’re getting the lead absorption. So you got to make sure it’s sourced from Japan.

SS: A lot of people, particularly Americans, have a rather bland palette when it comes to flavor. Do you have any suggestions as to how they can get those spices if they don’t necessarily like them in their food or don’t want to taste them? Are there ways to supplement those spices and still get the advantage of them dietarily without having to necessarily taste the flavor?

MG: Yeah. Fresh turmeric is actually, surprisingly, a much more mellow flavor than dried turmeric. So instead of a quarter teaspoon of turmeric per day, if you can find a good Asian market, you can slice off a half inch little slice…. They come in these little fingers … a half inch slice and chop it up, and people won’t even taste it. It can kind of stain your fingers. So that’s what I would recommend. For people who really just don’t like the stuff … turmeric is so potent … you’re just talking about a quarter teaspoon of it per day … you could stuff that into capsules. I encourage people to explore all these worldly cuisines, and they might surprise themselves. There’s more to life than burgers, fries and milkshakes!

PHOTO CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!

How Not To Die Cookbook

How has Conscious Community inspired you? Have you made one of the recipes from our HEARTh & HOME column? Have you taken that yoga class to begin a regular meditation practice after reading one of our features? Did you discover your favorite book in our In-Print column? We want to SEE how we are a part of your lives.

To enter, simply post a photo to Facebook showing something we inspired you to do, make, read, etc. and TAG us (or email Janae@consciouscommunitymagazine.com with the subject January 2018 Photo Contest.) One lucky photographer will receive the How Not To Die Cookbook co-written by January’s podcast guest, Dr. Michael Greger. Our favorite photos will be featured in print. online, and in our social media!

The How Not To Die Cookbookfeatures delicious, plant-based recipes that are EASY-to-make that will help you eat your way to a healthier life in 2018!

We look forward to seeing how we inspire you to a NEW YEAR, NEW YOU in 2018!

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager and podcaster for Conscious Community Magazine. She has an M.M. in computer music composition from Johns Hopkins University and is actively researching using electronically generated sounds for healing. See janaejean.com and perennialmusicandarts.com for details about Janae’s upcoming classes, lesson information, workshops, shows and projects.

Spencer Schluter is the advertising account manager, social media manager and podcaster for Conscious Community Magazine. His experience includes visual communications, advertising, social media, marketing, public relations and business development. Visit yggstudios.com for more information about his freelance design and consulting work. He is also a master level Reiki and traditional Chinese Qigong practitioner.

]]>http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/michael_greger/feed/0 Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter Our first podcast guest of 2018 is Michael Greger, M.D. Dr. Greger is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling How Not To Die as well as the recently released companion book How Not To Die Cookbook. Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter Our first podcast guest of 2018 is Michael Greger, M.D. Dr. Greger is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling How Not To Die as well as the recently released companion book How Not To Die Cookbook. He is also the founder of the not-for-profit NutritionFacts.org, ...Health, Healing & Wellness – Conscious Community Magazineclean29:028738Treat Menopause Naturally with the Japanese Diethttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/treat-menopause-naturally-with-the-japanese-diet/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/treat-menopause-naturally-with-the-japanese-diet/#respondThu, 28 Dec 2017 18:12:50 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=8707

By Sally J. Duffell –

All we hear about these days is how healthy the Japanese are and how they live longer than anyone else in the world. The women don’t get menopause symptoms, and they had never even heard of hot flashes until western researchers began asking about them. They have less cancer, osteoporosis, dementia and heart disease.

So you look at the Japanese diet and find out it’s raw fish and lots of vegetables, and don’t forget the seaweed, the rice and the soya. No spuds, nothing processed. Feel miserable already? Rather have hot flashes followed by osteoporosis and an early death perhaps?

Or is there a way we could literally have our (Japanese) cake and eat it, too.

Yes!!!

Besides the fish, seaweed and vegetables in their daily diets, the Japanese love sprouts. They sprinkle alfalfa on many of their dishes. Mung beans are a staple. Red adzuki beans are in their cakes. Sprouted foods are packed with other nutrients and interesting plant compounds, sometimes containing 90% more than the full-grown plant.

Here’s the big thing; here in the West we never had hot flashes either before the industrial revolution. The word “menopause” was invented in 1821. What were we doing before then that was helping us? It was certainly not eating soy. Although if you look at the marketing, you would think that it was. Research tells us that soy contains plant hormones and it seems like there’s no other way you can get them. In reality, over 300 foods contain plant hormones and most beans, peas and legumes contain high amounts.

Once you know that, it’s easy to see that many Western traditional foods provided plant hormones. Many old-fashioned dishes, such as pease porridge or lentils and ham hocks, are rich in plant estrogen, but they have been largely forgotten. Yet, it’s easy to start adding portions of beans and peas to whatever else you are eating. Plus, there are lots of modern ways to get plant hormones into your diet. You might be eating them already from supplements that you buy at the pharmacy to help menopause symptoms or osteoporosis. If you look closely at them, many of them contain red clover, which has been used for generations for menopause symptoms, long before there were drugs and supplements. And here’s the exciting thing, you can sprout red clover on your windowsill in just a week without soil. All you have to do is water the seeds, and they will grow into little double-leaf plants that you can harvest. Red clover is not the only thing you can sprout on your windowsill. Mung beans are also packed with plant hormones and are even easier to grow, as you only get them to the root stage, which takes two to three days.

You might think sprouting is a recent development, but not so, people have been sprouting in Europe for thousands of years. It’s been around since records began. You may have even grown mustard and cress when you were a child. We have been sprouting it for centuries, and it’s always been known as a health food, curing everything from arthritis to scurvy. The Victorians called it their “Ginseng.” What they didn’t know was that it was full of both vitamin C (even more than lemons), plant hormones and cancer-fighting chemicals known as glucosinolates. Modern science is now showing us this, but sadly hardly anyone is growing it anymore.

If you’re wondering why people haven’t thought of sprouting before, perhaps it’s because having a tray of beans and greens growing on the windowsill doesn’t fit into our fast-paced, ready-made world. However, it only takes a couple of minutes a day to water your sprouts, it’s easier than starting a vegetable garden or deciding to bake your own bread. It can be a little corner of your life that is all natural and all home grown – something you are doing for yourself and your own health.

So, you don’t have to go on the Japanese diet to be healthy during menopause. We can look to our traditional diet, plus turn to modern ways of sprouting ancient foods and grow our own plant hormones the way nature intended.

Sally J. Duffellhas been growing, teaching and writing about bean sprouting for many years. She is the author of “Grow Your Own HRT: Sprout Hormone-Rich Greens In Only Two Minutes A Day.” See http://www.sallyholloway.com for more.

Cooking with Beets and Pomegranates

Snow…sub-zero wind chills…icy patches …we are in the midst of winter now in the Midwest. Not much grows in our gardens this time of year, but that does not mean there are not fresh fruit and vegetables in season. Beets and other root vegetables are the freshest choices throughout the winter. Pomegranate season in the Northern Hemisphere is September to February. Beets and pomegranates are the inspiration for both of this month’s recipes. White (light green) cabbage adds fiber to both dishes and is ready for harvest from November all the way until March. Both of these recipes comply with a whole foods, plant-based diet. See this month’s interview and podcast with Michael Greger, M.D. to learn more about how a healthful diet can improve and extend your life.

Beets

Beets are high in antioxidants and unlike many other vegetables; they do not lose antioxidant power through cooking. Additionally, they are high in dietary nitrates, which may increase blood flow. This is great for both athletes and those with circulation issues. Moreover, beets bind with bile-acids in the colon and remove them, preventing premature degenerative diseases. Beets are not recommended for those with a predisposition to oxalate kidney stones, as they promote their formation. However for most people beets are completely safe.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are a brilliant red fruit with a tart flavor. They are a great winter choice as their flavor improves with several months of storage (preferably in a cold, dark place.) They make an unexpected addition to salads, soups and entrées. To separate the tasty seeds or arils from the white rind, first cut the fruit in half and then submerge it in cold water. The arils will sink to the bottom and the white rind will float to the top. Although many of the health claims about pomegranates have been exaggerated, they are still a healthful addition to the diet. They contain 48% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and 58% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K.

Pomegranate Borscht

Borscht originated in Ukraine and is a staple recipe across Eastern and Northern Europe. Most borscht recipes begin with a meat stock, beef or pork, but a hearty mushroom stock is common for vegetarian versions. Typically every family will have their own recipe, so have fun with it! I added pomegranate juice to mine because the tartness of pomegranate compliments the sweetness of beets so well.

Prepare all the vegetables as indicated. Caramelize the onions. Add the garlic and butter (or butter substitute) with the onions at the end of the caramelization process to sauté. Bring stock to a simmer and stir in pomegranate juice. Add all the vegetables, paprika, and salt and pepper. Keep at a simmer until the carrots are soft (about 30 minutes.) Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a few sprigs of fresh dill, if you like.

Prepare all raw vegetables and fruits as specified. Toss together in large bowl. Mix together pomegranate syrup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour onto salad and toss. Serve immediately.

*To prepare pomegranate syrup, boil down one cup of 100% pomegranate juice. Make sure to use low heat and not to burn the syrup. It takes about 20 minutes to boil down one cup to about one-third of a cup of syrup.

As always, I invite and encourage you to share your variations, pictures and tips with all of us through our FREE members-only Facebook group “Conscious Community,” our Facebook page, our Twitter@Tweetccmagazine and our Instagram@ConsciousCommunityMagazine. From my HEARTh & HOME to yours, keep making kitchen magic!

Janae Jean is editor, social media manager and podcast co-host for “Conscious Community Magazine.” She enjoys improvising in the kitchen and creating recipes with her loved ones and is very grateful for their input and assistance.

As we enter into the New Year, we spend quite of bit of energy thinking of goals we want to set, new directions we want to go in, or new adventures we want to embark on. The resolutions have a nasty habit of moving to the back burner soon after setting them, as we get swept back into the current of life. This year, make a resolution that will have a greater influence on your overall well-being by reconnecting with the natural world. Just getting outside, breathing air that flows between trees, and not buildings, can have a profound effect on our entire mind, body and spirit. Especially in a world where we spend more time connecting to electronics, and less time connecting with time, connecting to each other, and connecting with our inner selves. According to the World Wildlife Federation, spending time outdoors in nature can increase fitness levels, and therefore decrease your risk for certain diseases. There is also evidence that being outdoors can improve your distance vision, reduce the symptoms of ADHD, depression, and anxiety! Wow, stepping outside is so much easier than going to the gym. This might just be the resolution you keep. Here are some other ways you can experience the benefits of connecting with nature this year:

Incorporate green friends into your home décor – So even if you don’t spend much time outside, you can still connect with nature by bringing the outdoors in. Many studies show that having houseplants can improve your air quality and reduce stress. Start with low maintenance varieties like an indoor evergreen, potted ivy or philodendron. Ask your local greenhouse for suggestions. Take the time to connect with your new housemates by paying a little closer attention to their cycles and rhythms for watering, for example.

30 minutes a day – I don’t mean exercise…. Just 30 minutes of sunlight a day can have tremendous health benefits, including boosting metabolism, decreasing depression, improving sleep, and it has even been shown to have a positive effect on the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The sun is at the core of our cycles, seasons, our food, our existence. Connect with it as you bask in it. Just turn your face toward the sun, eyes closed of course, and soak in the goodness.

Get a little dirty – Ok, not that kind of dirty, I’m talking hands in the dirt, mud-pie dirty. The National Institutes for Health and other organizations agree that getting dirty is good for you. Children who have the chance to get a little dirty have more effective immune systems. Other studies have shown that getting your hands in the dirt can also expose your body to the good kinds of bacteria, and can boost your mental health. I wonder if that means I don’t have to work so hard at keeping my house clean?

Go ahead, hug a tree – Yes, it might sound cliché yet maybe the hippies were right about something. In our culture, we tend to engage in a deeper relationship with our electronics than other humans. This lack of connection impacts us in all areas of our lives and makes it harder to connect with others, let alone have a functional relationship with another person. Yes, let’s face it, Siri doesn’t argue. If we can settle our mind, and physically connect through touch with another living creature, we begin to open ourselves up. Physical touch can be such a transformative and powerful experience. Take the time to mindfully notice what you feel and smell; use all of your senses to create that connection. So start with something easy like a tree. It won’t argue either, and it just feels good to give them a big hug.

Forget conscious uncoupling, try conscious connecting – Have you ever walked into a park or wooded area and felt how the energy changed? Sometimes more undisturbed natural areas have a bit of a different feel to them, like they have their own personality. In the practice of ecopsychology, there is a lot of discussion about how we connect consciously to the world around us. It’s almost like creating a conscious relationship with nature. In the start of any relationship, we might introduce ourselves. So take that same idea and apply it when you enter into a relationship with nature. This can be as simple as asking permission to connect, and waiting to see if you get a response. Try it when you take a walk in a park or go hiking. As you spend time in the space, try to consciously connect with specific things in the space that draw your attention, like a bird or a creek. See if it doesn’t intensify the well-being you feel while you are in the space. Oh, don’t forget to be polite and say thank you when you leave.

Take a deep breath – Those yogis were right when they said that life is breath, and breath is life. Next time you step outside take a deep breath and notice the quality of air in different spaces. Compare your breathing when you are in a more populated area, versus the way you breathe when surrounded by the natural world. When we are in an open area with more undisturbed terrain, you tend to feel bigger, more open, and the breath reflects that. Our body recognizes the clean air and pulls it deep into the lungs. Atoms in the air do not die to disperse. As one being takes the atoms of the air in and exhales them, another being takes them in and exhales. So when you take a breath in, notice that this is the same air that a tree took in, cleaned, and put back out. It is the same air taken in by a person from the past, it nourished their body, and now it nourishes yours. It’s a bit of a mind trip of a concept, yet it drives home the feeling of being connected on a much deeper level.

Man’s connection with nature is at the core of the decisions we make in our daily life and how we approach the world. When we truly realize that connectedness we might look upon our fellow man with more compassion, and we might also think differently about how we treat the earth we live on. A deeper connection might invoke more feelings of gratitude for the earth that sustains us. We don’t have to resolve to change the world; just resolve to take a few minutes each day to connect to it. If we took that time, who knows, collectively we might just change the world.

Blair McKissock, MSEd, RYT is a speaker and author on experiential and nature-based learning. Learn more about coaching, OmHorse Yoga as well as upcoming equine assisted workshops at stridestosuccess.org.